September 2003
Bureaucracy, Media, Police, Politics Desperate times call for desperate measures. With the “Endon Butcher” still uncaught, Castelan have clamped down on security in the area in an almost Draconian fashion and for once no one seems to be complaining. Indeed plaudits have been forthcoming from a number of unusual sources with regards Castelan’s approach to this case, including Sean Bowden. Whilst this is unlikely to mark a change in policy for the former minister (who is still claiming to have evidence of corruption in Castelan) it does perhaps mark a change in the militancy of his views on the subject. Media, Police, Transport, University Roadblocks, Helicopter Sweeps, Random House Checks, just what are Castelan planning next to catch the “Endon Butcher”? If the rumours are to be believed then the answer is Thermal Imaging. Castelan have reputedly gained access to a satellite capable of thermal scanning the whole of the Endon Area. By fixing upon the number of heat signatures within an individual property and analysing any changes to number (a dead body will show as a localised cooling), they hope to follow these signatures to and from any crime scenes. Whether the proposed measures will be any more successful in catching the killer remains to be seen, but it does show the levels to which Castelan are willing to go to solve these crimes. Legal, Media, Occult, Police, Underworld Clues as to the identity of the “Endon Butcher” may be emerging after letters sent to the Sentinel were analysed by an expert in graphoanalysis. Since the crimes begun local media groups have received on average twenty letters a week purporting to be from the killer. Due to the extreme nature of the crimes Castelan have had all of these letters analysed, but so far only one set has matched the handwriting on the walls at previous crime scenes. Although the letters appear to match, they have provided few other forensic clues to the identity of the killer, although a curious picture of their (warped) sense of humour has emerged. Signed “From Heaven” they indicate that the killer may have an understanding of Ripper-lore, although given the increasing number of books being read on the subject this is hardly unusual, or may see themselves as carrying out Gods work in some manner. Bureaucracy, Finance, Legal, Police, Politics No matter what the outcome of the “Endon Butcher” crimes, one aspect that cannot be overlooked is the fact that even those areas thought of as safe “middle-class” suburbs can be affected by crime. With the body count now at over fifty, this is certainly the most prolific murderer ever in the city (even counting the infamous Angel killings of a few years ago). Indeed, the crimes are now officially the most expensive ever committed in the city, with current spending now in excess of the normal annual budget for the murder unit. Will Castelan be going to the city’s coffers asking for more money? It’s unlikely given the profits they’ve made in past years. However, it is likely that come next April profits will be down for the company as the financial effects of this and the G8 Suppress issues earlier this year are finally accounted for Church, High Society, Occult HIGH ANGLE POV. The only sound heard is that of high altitude winds passing. We swoop down, sheer and vertical through the clouds faster and faster towards the ground until we come to rest next to a man in a white collar. He looks downcast towards the ground, contemplative as he holds the wine glass to his side below the half destroyed arch. The glass slips from his hand. CUT TO. A red liquid explodes violently against a cream carpet. CUT TO. An animal falls unconscious to the ground. CUT TO CLOSE UP. The red liquid erupting from the carpet like water from a snare drum. CUT TO. The man in a white collar slowly picking up the shards of glass, carefully cutting his fingers with each precise movement. Health, Legal, Politics, Street Investigations have begun into how the Daughters of the Desert were able to flood the market with so much of their drug “Milk” after a rave organised by the group ended in disaster. No one knows how many people present had taken the drug, but of the twelve people killed in the crush all were shown to have high quantities of the drug in their system. Local government has quickly passed a bill registering the drug as a Class A substance due to its harmful (and potentially fatal) side effects. Meanwhile local clubs are cooperating in a scheme in order to minimise the amount of the drug available in clubs, although the main problem seems to be people taking the drug beforehand and being affected by the side effects later in the evening. Finance, Industry, Legal, Underworld Got Milk? Okay the joke will be lost on most, but the advertising people in local companies are having a fit over the possible implications of naming drugs after recognised brands. The main problem seems to be that the negative publicity rubs off on the legitimate product reducing sales. However the question is who are you going to prosecute? Fraudulent use of a brand name is going to be fairly low on the list of priorities for the Crown Prosecution Services if they ever manage to catch anyone manufacturing the drug, and are certainly more concerned about the protection of the public rather than of some faceless corporation. Industry, Media, Politics, Street, Underworld Local Contractors have been universally reprimanded for poor site security following the outdoor rave in Leek last month. Although it appears after initial investigations that the Daughters of the Desert were not only responsible for the distribution of the drug “Milk” but also for organising the event in the first place, the role of security at such sites is also being seen as a contributing factor in the equation. However it has been decided that due to the “Extreme criminal element” that the Daughters represent, charges will not be placed against the company in question, although it has been asked to implement new security on all of its sites within the city. Street, Underworld And so after months of speculation the Daughters of the Desert have finally laid claim to territory of their own. Whilst Sandernacht is content to ply his trade only to those who wish it, and the Gambino’s operated with at least some sense of honour, the Daughters seem willing to deal out mayhem and carnage to all alike. Whilst the focus on organised crime in the past has lay squarely on identifying the enigmatic Sandernacht, it now seems likely that the focus will switch to finding who’s behind the Daughters and establishing a means of eliminating them before further lives are lost. Health, Police, Politics, University If the side effects of “Milk” are so severe, and so widespread, why are so many willing to use the drug? Some have begun to speculate that the use of the drug may be symptomatic of the general mood of the city, with many of the young wishing to get out by any means they can. Far more disturbing are the rumours that have begun to emerge following its deployment at the outdoor rave last month, when it apparently was being distributed in an aerosol form. If this is true, given the addictive nature of the drug, isn’t it possible that it may have been (or could be) distributed publicly in other places a well, for example a shopping centre? Health, Legal, Media, Police, Street, Underworld Investigations continue into the whereabouts of the Gambino’s. Although no major players from the group have yet been found (at least alive) the so-called “Grandfather Gambino” has, or at least his body has been. Castelan have released few details of the manner in which the body was discovered or the state that it was in, but have promised to release a press statement before the next weekend regarding the matter. Meanwhile journalists have begun to gather around North Staffordshire Hospital in a hope of gaining access to photograph the body. Church, Health, Occult, Police Castelan have establised a perimeter around North Stafordshire Hospital after crowds began to gather following the discovery of “Grandfather Gambino” in a church in Kidsgrove. Details are sketchy, but the body was apparently found laid out on the altar one morning before being discovered by a priest, although this could be speculation following the myth that has built up around the family. Far more intrueging are the reports about the body itself, something about the scent of flowers in the air. Church “L'amore è il primo ingrediente nel rilievo di sofferenza” – Padre Pio. “Love is the first ingredient in the relief of suffering”. Media, Occult, University Storms continue to batter the city, much to the consternation of Meteorologists who have yet to develop a credible reason for violent magnetic activity. In addition to their continued study of the phenomena, a number of measures have been implemented in order to try to “break” the weather, including high altitude cloud seeding with the use of Castelan helicopters, but so far this as been to no avail. Indeed the only people who seem to be benefiting from this are the universities, which continue to play host to a number of eminent scholars on the subject, no doubt increasing their funding as well Media, Occult, Street Although storms continue to rage across the city most nights, a curious respite occurred on at least one Sunday. A complete twenty four hour period passed with no unusual magnetic activity. Rumour has it that this may have coincided with the discovery of “Grandfather Gambino”, although this is of course pure speculation being bandied about by some of the more interesting elements of our society. Media, Street Want to know what happened to the Gambino’s? Its simple, one minute they were here, the next “poof” they’re gone! The only group with enough firepower to wipe them out in the city’s Castelan, and you can be sure their not going to be putting their hands up on the matter. Still if it makes the streets a bit safer I’m not complaining. Conversation overheard by Journalist on a Bus (all too frequently) recently Health, Media, Occult, Police Castelan have been asked to investigate a number of cases of Spontaneous Combustion in the city. Although cases are not unknown, it is unusual for so many cases to be reported in such a short period of time. All cases occurred in the early hours of the morning, although little else in the way of correlation exists between victims High Society, Occult “Substantiate the right to hate. Violent shape takes on meaning. Passed down through the ages. Genetic spiral mutates. Growing affliction slices fate. One need, one soul, out of control. Wanders the world in search of hate. Genetic spiral mutates" Industry, Police, Politics, Transport Castelan are apparently asking local transport companies to set aside cold storage trucks for December for the transportation of materials for a new reactor. Why they need cold storage is anybody’s guess as the temperature at which fissile material is stored is of little consequence. Anyway, isn’t this supposed to be a nuclear free city Finance, High Society, Media, Police, Politics And so a date has finally been set for the long awaited interview of one Andrew Sant for Friday 5th December. The show will air live across a variety of television and radio networks, a fact that has raised more than one eyebrow. How has the media managed to convince such a reluctant public figure to appear in an unscripted talk show? And more importantly what does Sant have to gain form such a venture. Finance, Industry, Politics Share prices for Castelan rose sharply following the announcement of the date of the Andrew Sant interview. Traders believe this could be the start of a steady rise for the company’s prices when read in conjunction with its increasingly positive public image. Whether this increase will rub off on other companies in the city has yet to be established, but Castelan have been an accurate barometer of the cities financial state for a long period.